Nucor to build EAF micro mill in Florida

Charlotte, North Carolina-based Nucor Corp. has announced it will build a rebar “micro mill” in Frostproof, Florida, in the central part of the state east of Tampa. The company indicates the $240 million electric arc furnace (EAF) facility is the second rebar micro mill it is constructing. In November 2017, Nucor announced a rebar micro mill project in Sedalia, Missouri.

“Nucor has always focused on growing our business to better serve our customers,” says John Ferriola, chair, CEO and president of Nucor. “We are building this rebar micro mill in a great and growing market where demand is strong and there is currently an abundant supply of scrap, a good portion of which is handled by our scrap business, The David J. Joseph Company (DJJ).”

He continues, “Consistent with our planned strategy of being a low-cost producer, this micro mill will give us a cost advantage over our competitors who are shipping rebar into the region from long distances.”

The EAF rebar mill will have an estimated annual capacity of 350,000 tons and construction is expected to take two years, pending permit and regulatory approvals. The site is expected to employ approximately 250 people and pay an average annual salary of $66,000.

“We would like to thank the many state and local officials, leaders and partners who have assisted us with the project,” says Dave Sumoski, executive vice president of merchant and rebar products with Nucor. “Identifying the right location is an essential part of our rebar micro mill strategy, and this part of central Florida met all the criteria we evaluate. We look forward to becoming a member of the community.”

Steelmaker Nucor and its affiliates have operating facilities primarily in the United States and Canada, producing carbon and alloy steel (in bars, beams, sheet and plate) and several other steel shapes and products. The company’s DJJ business unit processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap, brokers ferrous and nonferrous metals, pig iron, hot briquetted iron (HBI) and direct reduced iron (DRI) and supplies ferro-alloys. Nucor refers to itself as North America's largest recycler.

Aluminum Recyclers Council forms

Recycled aluminum alloy producers from across the United States have formed the Aluminum Recyclers Council (ARC) to advance and grow the North American aluminum recycling industry, as well as to promote sustainable aluminum alloy products.

ARC says the council was formed so that recycled aluminum alloy producers, “key contributors to the aluminum industry, can finally have a unified voice in an industry undergoing dramatic changes.”

The organization says its mission is to promote and defend the domestic aluminum recycling industry and establish a business excellence program focused in the areas of operational efficiency, environmental leadership and worker safety.

Membership in ARC is open to secondary aluminum smelters and their suppliers. ARC says membership also could be extended to other companies in the aluminum recycling industry.

“Too often, our industry is left without a voice in legislation and regulation impacting our businesses and the lives of all our employees,” says Luke Palen, president of Spectro Alloys Corp., who also was elected as the first chairman of the ARC board. “We also recognize that we have a tremendous opportunity to expand the usage of recycled aluminum alloys in new applications. Consumers are demanding a more sustainable product, and recycled aluminum alloys provide huge benefits.”

The initial members of ARC’s board of directors and their positions include:

The group says it intends to use the council to develop a business excellence program involving webinars and workshops for its membership.

Buchner says, “We believe there is a real opportunity for us to work together to develop best practices in all phases of the manufacturing process, not the least of which is safety. By working together to find those best practices we will all become better at what we do.”

President Henderson adds, “There are many common issues among companies that recycle aluminum. This provides an opportunity for ARC to create a platform as an industry voice and advance the interests of the members.”

Future events and meetings are under discussion and will be announced as they develop. To learn more about ARC visit www.recyclealuminum.org.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Arlington, Virginia-based Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Stephen E. Sandherr has released the following statement in reaction to President Trump's announcement that he would impose new tariffs on imported steel and aluminum products:

"These new tariffs will cause significant harm to the nation's construction industry, put tens of thousands of high-paying construction jobs at risk, undermine the president's proposed infrastructure initiative and potentially dampen demand for new construction projects for years to come. That is because the newly imposed tariffs will lead to increases in what construction firms are forced to pay for the many steel and aluminum products that go into a typical construction project.

"Firms that are already engaged in fixed-price contracts may be forced to absorb these costs, forcing them to cut back on new investments in equipment and personnel. Higher steel and aluminum prices will make the kind of infrastructure work President Trump supports more expensive, forcing federal, state and local officials to cut back on projects they can fund. And the likely trade war these new tariffs prompt will diminish demand for private investment in infrastructure as well as construction demand for manufacturing, shipping and distribution facilities.

"Considering the damages these new tariffs will inflict on the construction industry, it is easy to understand why recent, independent studies estimate that nearly 30,000 construction workers will lose their jobs because of these new tariffs.

"The bottom line is that any short-term gains for the domestic steel and aluminum industries will likely be offset by the lower demand that will come for their products as our economy suffers the impacts of these new tariffs and the trade war they encourage. A better way to cultivate a stronger domestic steel and aluminum industry is to increase federal funding for infrastructure projects that will boost demand for these and many other products.

"That is why the Associated General Contractors of America will continue to take every possible step to convince the administration and Congress to reconsider these costly new tariffs and instead enact the kind of new infrastructure proposal that will rebuild our steel and aluminum industries while strengthening our overall economy."

Trump announced his intentions to introduce tariffs on aluminum and steel March 1, 2018, to varied reactions, including a sell-off in the New York Stock Exchange.

The administration then decided to impose a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports March 8. The levies are to go into effect in 15 days from that date.

Canada, the largest importer of steel to the U.S., and Mexico are except from the tariffs.

New Hampshire the Beautiful offers recycling grants to schools

While New Hampshire the Beautiful (NHtB) has long given equipment grants to assist municipal transfer stations and recycling centers in buying equipment, signs and curbside recycling bins, the NHtB board voted recently to offer a new annual grant to schools with innovative waste reduction ideas or school recycling programs.

The grant stemmed from Campbell High School’s recycling group, Campbell Recycling Advocacy Program (C.R.A.P.), which received a grant to purchase a wire stripper to process donated copper wire for recycling, earning extra money for the school.

New Hampshire schools that want to improve their recycling programs can apply for grant funding. Applicants could be a school recycling club looking to make recycling more efficient or easier or an environmental or science club with a waste reduction idea that needs help getting off the ground.

Any school that currently has a recycling program or is trying to start one can apply by submitting an essay detailing the school’s current program and how it can be improved upon or built. Applications should include information on how winning the grant would benefit the program or group.

Grant funds in the amount of $500 will be awarded and made payable to the school/club/organization.

The grant will be awarded annually as part of a new award to be presented to the winning participant(s) at the Northeast Resource Recovery Association’s School Recycling Conference held each May, NHtB says. Essays should be submitted to NRRA’s School Recycling CLUB, http://www.schoolrecycling.net/grant-fundraiser-contest/nh-schools. Essay submissions will be reviewed, and one school/group winner will be chosen by NH the Beautiful board members prior to the conference. Winners will be notified prior to the conference, and attendance is not necessary but is strongly encouraged.

NHtB is a private nonprofit charitable trust founded in 1983 and supported by the soft drink, malt beverage and grocery industries of New Hampshire. It offers municipal recycling grants of more than $2.5 million to date, signs, anti-litter programs and technical assistance to recycling programs. The organization supports the NRRA’s School Recycling CLUB (the CLUB) and is administered by the Northeast Resource Recovery Association, Epsom, New Hampshire.

Fairbanks Scales releases FB2558 weighing instrument

Fairbanks Scales Inc., Kansas City, Missouri, the has released what it says is the “new and improved” FB2550 instrument, the FB2558). According to the company, the unit maintains an industry leading feature set while incorporating faster processing power, an updated operating system and more memory.

Up to five FB2558 instruments can be networked, sharing transactional data and traffic light controls from up to eight scale platforms. Transaction data are shared among each networked instrument, the company says.

The FB2558 features an integrated web utility that, according to Fairbanks Scales, gives technicians complete access to all menu options, including calibration, with a user-friendly, web-accessible interface. All configuration and calibration functions can be performed from a connected laptop or tablet using an Ethernet crossover cable or an existing network. When used with Fairbanks’ Remote Configuration Device (RCD), a technician can calibrate the FB2558 from the scale platform, eliminating the need to travel between the platform and instrument to test and calibrate the scale system, the manufacturer says.

With the FB2558 users can automatically email transactional data or trouble codes. Daily transaction data can be exported automatically to a shared user-defined network folder at the end of the day. Load cell diagnostics data can be viewed, printed, exported or emailed.

Also standard on the new FB2558 is short or long platform Axlematic software, which enables customers to secure axle weights along with total vehicle weight to ensure compliance with Department of Transportation requirements. IP camera interface capabilities round out the new features.